CHULA VISTA, Calif. – Richie Walker has replaced Julie McCoy as USA Women's 7s Coach. 

Walker, who has worked with the ATAVUS Academy and coached the USA U20 women at the Youth Olympics, will lead the Women's Eagles Sevens program through the Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games, USA Rugby announced Tuesday.

Walker worked alongside Ric Suggitt throughout the previous Eagles head coach's regime, joining the team on the HSBC World Rugby Women's Sevens Series from its inception in 2012-13 to the end of Suggitt's tenure in 2015. His knowledge of the program at the OTC, the player pool, and the game of rugby will lead the U.S. down the path to a podium place in Brazil.

"Richie is an obvious choice to move the team towards the goals laid out for Rio," USA Rugby Director of Performance Alex Magleby said. "We need minimal disruptions moving forward, and Richie and the team have been a capable combination previously, both via development tours and formerly overseeing the skill improvements in the player pool at the Olympic Training Center."

The Eagles qualified for this August's Games last summer with an undefeated performance at the 2015 NACRA Sevens Championships and followed with a silver-medal campaign at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games. Currently eighth in the 2015-16 World Rugby Women's Sevens Series, the Eagles are set to host their home leg of the circuit, HSBC Atlanta 7s, April 8-9 in Kennesaw, Ga.